92mm F6.65 Stowaway (92F665)
Brand : Astro-Physics
- SKU:
- 92F665
- Availability:
- Refer to Availability tab below
The Astro-Physics Stowaways are cherished for their portability and performance. Indeed, our own Stowaways have traveled with us to star-gaze in far off places and watch whales, boats, birds and other wildlife. It is the perfect companion for the upcoming total solar eclipse April 8, 2024 and for years to come.
Long-time astronomers will recall that we offered the original f5 and f7 Stowaway refractors from 1999-2002. While observing the solar eclipse in August 2017 from Wyoming, we had so much fun with our vintage Stowaways that we decided to make additional production runs. The response and feedback have been so positive that that we are in production with our fifth production run of this scope for 2023-early 2024 delivery.
This triplet lens scope has the same extraordinary quality that you have come to expect from Astro-Physics with a few exciting features:
- Grab ‘n go visual travel companion. Follow eclipses around the globe or observe wildlife from afar!
- Dramatic deep-sky imaging with its optional Field Flattener (92FF) and Telecompressor Corrector (92TCC).
- Silky, smooth 2.5” Starlight Instruments Feather Touch focuser with dual-speed mechanism. The dual-speed feature is particularly advantageous for critically focusing this fast focal ratio. A digital focusing system is available for imaging.
- Rotating focuser enables you to frame your photos for optimal, artistic composition.
- Compact, lightweight tube assembly travels easily in its Pelican Air case.
- Fully retractable, felt-lined dew shield slides to its fully-extended position and then secures in place.
- Latest multi-coating technology will provide optimum light transmission.
The Mach2GTO or Mach1GTO (no longer available) German Equatorial mounts are recommended for visual observation or astro-imaging. The unique quick-and-easy daytime polar-alignment routine makes it ideal when setting up for star parties and public outreach. The intuitive GoTo Keypad serves as a full-featured mini-computer or use a planetarium program on your PC or Mac computer. You can even control the basic functions of the mount with your mobile smart device.
Optical Design
Roland Christen's air-spaced 3-element lens has broad band multi-coatings on all surfaces. Optimization was chosen for the polychromatic Strehl ratio to be above 90% for the entire visual spectrum with a peak value of 99.8% at the visual peak. The result is unprecedented color correction. Visually the scope shows sharp contrasty images without color fringing with well-corrected high-power oculars.
The custom optional field flattener design (92FF) achieves wide band color correction that extends into the violet regions with diffraction-limited performance designed for the most demanding modern astronomical cameras. This is especially important for the latest CMOS chips which have their highest sensitivities in the violet part of the spectrum and will show large blue halos with lesser optical designs. The 92 mm with dedicated field flattener produces sharp images at all wavelengths without blue halos or bloated stars.
Specifications
| Color correction | Less than +/- 0.003% focus variation from 656 nm to 436 nm (c to g wavelengths). |
| Clear aperture | 92 mm (3.62”) |
| Focal length | 612 mm (24.1”); Backfocus of 157.5 mm (6.2”) |
| Focal ratio | f/6.65 |
| Theoretical Resolution | 1.1 arc seconds |
| Coatings | Multi-layer, broadband, overall transmission greater than 97% in peak visual wavelengths |
| Magnification range | 18x to 360x |
| Tube assembly | Cream white, 3.62” diameter, machined aluminum tube, fully baffled, flat black interior, engraved retaining ring. |
| Focuser type | 2.5” I.D. Starlight Instruments FeatherTouch Focuser with rotating collar, rack and pinion, Feather Touch Micro 9:1 dual-speed reduction, 3.5” travel. Focuser drawtube features millimeter focusing scale. 2” and 1.25” adapters included. |
| Telescope length | 19.5” (495 mm) with dew shield fully retracted; 21.75” (553 mm) with dew shield fully extended. |
| Diameter of dew shield | 4.4” (112 mm) OD, retractable |
| Weight with dust cap | 7.1 lb. (3.2 kg) |
| Carrying case | Pelican Air 1525 with TrekPak Dividers |
Specifications subject to change without notice.
Photographic Field
| Photographic field with dedicated Field Flattener |
Unvignetted image circle: 50 mm diameter |
| Photographic field with 0.8x Telecompressor Corrector | Unvignetted image circle: 40 mm diameter 35 mm format: 4.2 x 2.9 degrees Focal ratio: f/5.3 Focal length: 488 mm Backfocus Spacing: 2.52" (64.1 mm) |
| Photographic field with 2x Barlow |
Image circle: 32 mm diameter, 1.2 degrees |
What's Included?
- Tube Assembly with Starlight Instruments' 2.5" FeatherTouch Focuser, Dew Shield and Dustcover
- 2" and 1.25" Adapters
- Mounting Rings and V-Style Dovetail Bar (SBV08)
- Pelican Air 1525 Carrying Case with TrekPak Dividers
Items That You Will Need For Your Scope
- MaxBright 2" Mirror Diagonal (PMDMAX)
Accessories to Consider
- 2.5" Prime Focus Field Flattener (92FF)
- 0.8x Telecompressor Corrector (92TCC)
- Canon EOS DSLR Camera Adapter with Large 1.875" Diameter Stainless Steel Bayonet - For 92FF and 92TCC (DSLR25EOS)
- Canon EOS Mirrorless Camera Adapter with Large Diameter Stainless Steel "RF" Lens Bayonet (CAN25-RF)
- Nikon DSLR Camera Adapter with Large 1.73" Diameter Stainless Steel Bayonet - For 92FF and 92TCC (DSLR25NIK)
- Nikon Z Mirrorless Camera Adapter with Large Diameter Stainless Steel "Z" Lens Bayonet. For Stowaway 92FF and 92TCC (NIK25-Z)
- 10 x 60 Baader Planetarium Vario-Finder with Illuminated Reticle, 45° Erecting Prism, and Quick Release Bracket (1060VQ)
- 10 x 60 Vario-Finder with Quick Release Guider Bracket (1060GUIDE)
- 7" V-Style Dovetail Accessory "Saddle for Stowaway (ACSD07)
- Base for Quick Release Finder Bracket (QRBASEM)
- Handle with Dovetail Slot for Guidescope and Finder Brackets, PICQRM2 & STARFMD (QRHANDLE)
- Picatinny Male Dovetail Base for Multi-Reticle Finders (PICQRM2)
- 2" Advanced Convertible Barlow (BARADV)
- Flat Field Converter (BPFFC) Barlow and Related Accessories in the FFC System
- Baader Mark V Binocular Viewer (BPMARKVS)
- Baader Cool-Ceramic Safety Herschel Prism Mark II, Photographic/Visual System (BPHERM2P)
- Kendrick Dew Remover Premier Heater (KDR004)
- Solar Filter options; all feature Baader Planetarium AstroSolar Safety Film, Density 5-Visual
- Baader AstroSolar Filter (ASTF-80). Diameter of filter material: 80mm.
- Baader AstroSolar Filter (ASSF-100). Diameter of filter material: 100mm.
- Baader AstroSolar Filter (ASBF-100). Diamter of filter material: 100mm. Please note that one side of the filter frame is flat since they were designed to use in pairs with binoculars. This does not limit the function for the Stowaway and is a good option if other filters are out-of-stock.
- Baader AstroSolar Film (AS50A4). 200mm x 290mm (7.9"x11.4") sheet to make your own filter. Instructions included.
- Baader AstroSolar Film (AS50HM). 500mm x 1000mm (19.7" x 39.4") sheet to make multiple filters, Instructions included.
Availability
August 3, 2024 update:
What's the status? We have shipped all scopes from the last production run. However, production for the NEXT run is well underway. We expect to start notification in a couple of months.
How can order a 92mm Stowaway? The demand for our scopes has been very high since the 1980s. Over the years, we have maintained interest lists (aka notification lists) when new telescopes are introduced. As those scopes become available, we contact the next person in line on these lists in chronological order.
So many people expressed interest in the Stowaway that we decided to offer these scopes in a random-drawing format. This is a departure from our usual processes, so we know you have questions.
What do you mean, random drawing? For one week from Friday, July 30 to Friday, August 6, 2021, interested people were invited to sign up on the 92mm Stowaway 2021 Random Drawing Entry form that was available on our website. From this group, we randomly choose entries to notify. We will continue to use this process for the current production of 92 Stowaways that is underway.
Why didn't you just notify people in order of when they signed up, like usual? With advanced notice and a one-week sign-up window, we hoped to catch everyone who might be interested in this scope. The random drawing gives everyone an equal chance to purchase a Stowaway.
If you weren’t notified for the last production run, you have another opportunity this time. Good luck and keep an eye on your email!
